Dive Team
Potomac Dive Team – Parent & Diver Information Guide
2026 PO SWIM & DIVE CALENDAR (For dive schedule, follow the tabs at the bottom of the calendar)
Dive Rep: Helina Tuminaro ⸻ [email protected]
Welcome to the dive team! Whether your child is brand new to diving or returning for another summer season, we want every diver and family to feel informed, prepared, and excited. Below are answers to some of the most common questions about practices, meets, requirements, and competition.
Preparing for Dive Practice
Diving involves frequent trips in and out of the water, so divers can get chilly quickly. We recommend bringing:
- Multiple towels
- Water bottle
- Healthy snacks (especially for swimmers attending back-to-back swim and dive practices)
- Positive attitude and team spirit!
Each age group has minimum dive requirements for competition. Divers perform required dives along with optional dives that increase as they get older.
Required Dive Categories
Each diver must perform:
- A forward dive or line up
- A back dive, line up, or jump
- Optional dives (number varies by age)
A line up is a head-first entry into the water without a jump or bounce — gravity alone carries the diver into the water.
Optional Dives
Optional dives are dives beyond the required front and back dives. Each optional dive must come from a different dive group.
The Five Dive Groups
- Forward
- Back
- Reverse
- Inward
- Twisting
Dive Positions
Most dives are performed in one of the following positions:
- Straight
- Pike
- Tuck
- Free (used for some advanced dives)
8 & Under
- Forward dive (any position) or line up
- Back jump
- Front jump
Total: 3 dives
9–10
- Forward dive or line up
- Back dive or line up
- 1 optional dive
Total: 3 dives
11–12
- Forward dive or line up
- Back dive or line up
- 2 optional dives
Total: 4 dives
13–14
- Forward dive or line up
- Back dive or line up
- 3 optional dives
Total: 5 dives
15–18
- Forward dive or line up
- Back dive or line up
- Inward dive
- 3 optional dives
Total: 6 dives
How Age Groups Are Determined
A diver’s age group is based on their age as of June 1 of the current season.
Example:
- If a diver turns 13 on June 1, they compete in the 13–14 age group.
- If they turn 15 on June 2, they still compete in the 13–14 age group for that season.
Can My Child Compete Without All Required Dives?
Yes! Divers who do not yet have all required dives may still compete as Exhibition Divers.
Exhibition divers:
- Receive individual scores
- Gain valuable meet experience
- Do not earn team points
- Exhibition meets do not count toward eligibility requirements for Divisionals or All-Stars.
Before the Meet
Coaches create a dive sheet listing the dives each diver will perform. Divers must review and sign their sheet before competition begins.
Competition Format
Events are divided by:
- Age group
- Gender
- 8 & Under Girls
- 11–12 Boys
- Five judges score each dive from 1–10
- Highest and lowest scores are dropped
- Remaining three scores are added together
- Total is multiplied by the dive’s Degree of Difficulty (DD)
More difficult dives receive higher DD values.
The diver with the highest total score wins the event.
Team Scoring
- 1st Place = 5 team points
- 2nd Place = 3 team points
- 3rd Place = 1 team point
Each team may only score points with two divers per event.
Meet Atmosphere
Dive meets are generally quieter than swim meets because divers need to focus before diving. However, cheering and applause after dives are always encouraged!
Preparing for a Dive Meet
Recommended Meet Gear
- Team suit (or blue suit)
- Towels
- Snacks
- Water bottle
- Sunscreen
- Team spirit!
Warm-Up Times
- Home meets: Warmups begin approximately 1 hour before the meet
- Away meets: Visiting team warmups begin approximately 30 minutes before the meet
Please arrive early enough to:
- Park
- Unpack
- Stretch
- Be ready to enter the water on time
Qualifying for Divisionals
To qualify for the Divisional Championship Meet:
- Divers must compete in at least two dual meets
- Coaches select two divers per event
- Highest average scores during the season
- Consistency and readiness
Divers qualify for the All-Star Championship Meet by:
- Placing 1st, 2nd, or 3rd at Divisionals
Each team may also select up to:
- 2 Wild Card Divers
- Do not need to compete at Divisionals
- Must still compete in at least two dual meets during the season
Dive numbers are codes used to identify dives.
Parents do not need to memorize them, but understanding the basics can be helpful.
Dive Number Basics
First Number = Dive Direction
- 1 = Forward
- 2 = Back
- 3 = Reverse
- 4 = Inward
- 5 = Twisting
- 6 = Armstand (platform only)
Letters = Dive Position
- A = Straight
- B = Pike
- C = Tuck
- D = Free
Common Summer Dive Examples
100D — Forward Jump
- Forward direction
- No rotation
- Free position
001D — Forward Line Up
- Not considered a true dive
- Forward entry
- Free position
101A — Forward Dive Straight
- One half rotation
- Straight position
103B — Forward 1½ Somersault Pike
- Three half rotations
- Pike position
202C — Back Somersault Tuck
- Backward direction
- Two half rotations
- Tuck position
5121D — Forward Somersault ½ Twist
- Twisting dive
- One somersault
- One half twist
- Free position
Dive meets are on Sundays in June and July.
Additional Resources
This information — and much more — can be found in the official MCDL Handbook.
We look forward to a fun, safe, and successful dive season!
See also www.mcdiving.org for information about Montgomery County Diving.
Text Area
Simple formatted text
